Jim Prentice, Canadian Minister of the Environment

The Honourable Mr. Jim Prentice, one of the key players responsible for the recent declaration of the 6^th largest National Park in the World (expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve, June 2009), will participate in WILD9.

Ministro de Medio Ambiente de Canadá. El honorable Sr. Jim Prentice, uno de los actores clave responsables de la reciente declaración del 6.º Parque Nacional más grande del mundo (expansión de la Reserva Parque Nacional Nahanni, junio 2009), participará en WILD9.

As Canada’s Minister of the Environment, the Honorable Jim Prentice leads the country’s participation in the Clean Energy Dialogue established by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He also oversees her role in international Climate Change negotiations, and involvement in the 2009 Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.

Before taking the helm of the Environment Ministry in 2008, Mr. Prentice served as Canada’s Minister of Industry, where he spearheaded delicate international business negotiations and agreements. While head of Indian Affairs and Northern Development from 2006 to 2007, Mr. Prentice reformed the Land Claims Process. He also oversaw the launch of the First Nation’s Drinking Water strategy and reformulated the government’s relationship with aboriginal people partly by introducing reinvestments in aboriginal education and housing.

Mr. Prentice was the original chair of Canada’s Cabinet Committee on Environment and Energy Security. Canada’s National Post has credited him with becoming the cabinet’s “Mr. Fix-It.”, writing that “He takes troubled or controversial ministries and turns them around”.

First elected to the House of Commons in 2004, Mr. Prentice holds a law degree from the University of Alberta. As a practicing lawyer, he specialized in property rights and served as a commissioner of the Indian Specific Claims Commission for ten years. Mr. Prentice lives in Calgary with his wife Karen and their three daughters.